A 25-YEAR-OLD Llandeilo painter and decorator has been fined £400 after he admitted launching a torrent of foul-mouthed abuse at Accident and Emergency staff in Glangwili Hospital.

Joshua Stuart Payne, of 2B Bridge Street, was taken to West Wales General Hospital by ambulance on February 1 after he had suffered a head injury following a fall when getting off a train at Carmarthen Station when drunk.

While at the A and E ward, Payne became abusive and aggressive towards staff leading to the police being called.

Ellie Morgan, prosecuting, told Llanelli Magistrates Court how, when the officers arrived at the hospital at 9.20pm, Payne was walking around the triage room “shouting and swearing".

"He was being abusive in the waiting room,” Ms Morgan told the court.

“There was blood on his forehead and there was a cut above his eyebrow."

When the officers arrived and told him to calm down, Payne turned his anger on them, swearing and telling them he want to be taken home before repeatedly striking his head against the wall.

“He said he wanted to get back to Llandeilo and started swearing and banging his head against the wall,” Ms Morgan said.

Payne was arrested for being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

Ms Morgan told the court that Payne had also been arrested on three previous occasions for public order offences.

Robin Reed, defending, said Payne’s manner towards staff had been a result of his drinking and the head injury he had sustained when falling from the doorway of the train.

“This is not someone who had been out on the street fighting,” said Mr Reed.

“He had been visiting his girlfriend in Shrewsbury and they returned on the train.

“When he went to get off the train he fell over some bags which had been left in the doorway, causing him to suffer an injury to his head.

“He has very little recollection of the incident – he had been drinking and had a quite serious head injury.”

District Judge David Parsons told Payne his actions were inexcusable.

“The National Health Service is very, very stretched,” said Mr Parsons.

“Doctors, nurses and porters work extremely long hours in extremely stressful situations.

“I am not going to compound the difficulties faced by staff working in the NHS by ignoring this sort of disgraceful behaviour.”

Mr Parsons told Payne: “I have explained why this matter is so serious and I am sure that on sober reflection you understand what I have said.”

Payne was fined £400.

He was also ordered to pay £80 towards prosecution costs and an additional £40 legal surcharge.